In the past three days I feel like I have accomplished more than I have in an entire year. I am pleased to say that I found an apartment for the next 10 months, I have registered at the local police station and at my University, opened up a Chinese bank account, and currently have three different jobs tutoring English. Now that I sit in my comfortable room, and look back on the sequence of events leading to all of these things, it seems surreal. Hopefully by sharing it with you, I can begin to realize that I am now officially settled and well on my way to achieving what I want: Chinese proficiency, money and an experience of a lifetime.
After unsuccessfully walking into random real-estate agencies and trying to find a place to live, I decided that I not only needed a roommate, but that I had better turn to the internet for an insult-free look at apartments. With my minimal Chinese and the saving grace of Google Translator, I came across some interesting links through a Chinese website, made a few calls, organized a few meetings and set out on a new search.
After braving the usual crowds in the subway for over half an hour and walking through the blazing heat, my nose in a map, I finally arrived at my first destination. I give the person a call and out he comes with a huge ring of keys and leads the way through a very nicely decorated entrance. “This is more like it” I begin to think until the man opens the door onto a lovely room without windows. This is going to be a problem. Upon request he shows me a room that does have windows but the price is much higher and I decide to think it through before making a decision. Another problem is the fact that the apartment is rather far from my University but I didn’t realize this until I decided to walk there.
Asking for directions is a funny thing and something I would not advise if you don’t know directions in Chinese. The majority of the friendly people I stopped on the streets for directions to 上海外国大学 “Shanghai Wai guo da xue” pause, repeat the name fast, rushed and slurred, which makes me wonder if I gave them the right name, and then point in four different directions and say: “Ting Dong le ma?” (do you understand?), which leaves me feeling more puzzled than before. However, on this particular day, I stopped a young girl with stunner pink shades for directions. Seeing my sweaty face and my disheveled map, she motions me to sit at the back of her scooter and says “ I takeugh you!” Why not? And before I know it I am enjoying the wonderful breeze and the thrill of being on the road mingling with taxis, trucks, bikes, people and buses.
When I get to my University, I arrive with all my paperwork and am well prepared to matriculate. My first stop is room 201 to fill out my residence form. While I wait for the next set of instructions, I have a chance to glance around the room. Everyone has their passport open and I am able to get a glimpse of Japanese, South Korean, Mexican and Kazak documents. Walking in the hallway to room 202, I hear German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Dutch and Indonesia languages and accents all trying to figure out where to go and what to put down between the lines of Chinese official documents. Who would have thought that I would be surrounded by such a rich, international student body? Before I am able to fully register, the office clerk asks me about my living situation. Ah ha, good question my friend to which I have no answer. I explain my situation and he asks me to come back by the end of the day to let him know if I will be living on campus or not.
So I leave the University to go to my second apartment. But first I stop to visit the dorms, which turn out to be too pricy and stale. When I reach the street, I am feeling lucky. The landlord comes from across the street and takes me through the security gate and up to the 9th floor. As it turns out, he is not the landlord but a resident living with his girlfriend and they have decided to rent the spare room to make some money. The room is spacious, clean, has a desk, a wardrobe and lots of storage space. The bathroom, kitchen, living room and utilities are included but shared. It is a ten-minute walk from my school and the subway station, and it is located in a very nice neighborhood. This feels right and before further hesitation I tell him that I’ll take it. He says I can move in tomorrow. Fantastic! We arrange to meet later that evening to meet his girlfriend and sign the contract. When I return to the registration office I am told that I now need to fill out a whole new set of paperwork informing them that I am living off campus etc. and that I have to go to register at the local police station after signing the contract.
As I make my way back to Kara’s place, I get phone call from my teaching agent Amy who asks me if I can meet little 4 year old Reting (Laura) tomorrow. No problem and we set up a time. Since things are starting to take shape and I will be receiving some income, I decide to go to a local bank and open up an account. When I walk in, I am the only Westerner and so one of the assistant jumps to my aid. She leads me to a machine and prints out a ticket and asks me to stand in line. Of course, I am noticed and glanced at from around the room, which makes me feel a little out of place but am determined. When my number is called I walk up to the window and immediately another assistant hops in and starts translating. The process is relatively easy as a result, and I am relieved. I then return to my district to meet with my new flat mates.
When I walk in, the girlfriend greets me with a big smile and chatters away in Chinese. I am a little intimidated but have come prepared with my computer and my dictionary. As we all sit huddled around the living room table, going back and forth between the computer, the paper, the dictionary and each other, we all come to a mutual agreement and we sign the contract. Finally, I have a place to call home.
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